Unarmed
by ViiraK
Summary: The war is starting whether they like it or not. People must choose a side and be willing to fight in what they believe in. Hermione has a long road in front of her, but at least, she isn't alone in this fight.
1. Chapter 1: Saying Goodbye

**Hey, everybody! I want to thank you for reading this, it's the first story I have posted.**

**It will be a multi-fic. This is only the beginning (cue evil laughter) and it begins in their seventh year, negating the events in books 6 and 7. This will involve several romances with several characters, but the main will eventually be Hermione and Snape. I have yet to decide on the other pairings they will come to me as I write the story and if you have suggestions, just send them to me**

**I will try to update regularly since I'm on break right now, but I do tend to procrastinate ;-)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own this, wish I did then I wouldn't have to go college because I'd be rich... but alas, this belongs to the fabulous J.K. Rowling**

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><p><em> And this is the part where the curtain falls<em>

_And the day dream ends it all_

_Where the yellow brick road it much too far to go alone_

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><p>It was the end of the summer.<p>

And Hermione Granger was beyond relieved.

She had been isolated from the magical world in her parent's house for months and the cloud of the upcoming war hovered the entire time. The tension in her house could have been cut with a dull blade, maybe even a sharp spoon.

And Hermione could not take another second of it.

Though the drive to the train station was proving to be worse than the summer itself. She currently sat in the backseat with Crookshanks resting peacefully on her lap. Her father, who was driving the car, maintained a white knuckled grip on the steering wheel and would turn the car in jerky movements. His face remained an unchanging sharp line of utter concentration on the road in front of him; never looking at any person in the car. Her mother, on the other hand, looked like she would burst into tears at any moment as she kept looking back at Hermione and then her husband then her hands then the road then back at Hermione and the cycle of tear filled looks would start over again.

Hermione was looking at her father and his unblinking stare at the road was making her eyes water in dry sympathy.

Hermione then shifted her gaze to her mother, made eye contact, felt her heart fill up with guilt, and then proceeded to look at the only safe place, her cat. King's Cross never seemed so far away as it did in this moment.

The reason for this family's melancholy behavior can be blamed, in Hermione's mind, on two people: Albus Dumbledore and her father. Dumbledore decided at the beginning of the summer before the start of Hermione's Seventh Year at Hogwarts, that he should inform her parent's on the exact happenings of Voldemort, Death Eaters, and their hatred against everything Hermione was.

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><p>"<em>So what your are saying is that this guy Vol…Volly…Vole—" Mr. Granger began.<em>

"_Voldemort" Hermione supplied out of force of habit while her mind was clearly elsewhere. This elsewhere being of a place that did not involve her, her parents, and Dumbledore in her immaculate living room discussing a war which she would most likely be in the front lines of. _

_She was trying to find her happy place, one involving books and a very comfortable chair._

_She failed at this attempt._

"_Right. Voldemort. Is a very strong, evil-"_

"_Not evil, dark" Dumbledore said with a smile as he sipped his now cold tea._

"_Right. Dark wizard. Who came back from the dead three years, has been killing Muggles and Muggleborns with the help of his followers which are called Death Eaters? Is this correct?"_

"_Yes" Dumbledore said this as he would a student who just stated the correct start and end date of the Goblin Wars._

"_And now this Voldemort is planning on starting a war, soon to destroy all the magical people he considers of lesser value and the only person that stands in his way is a seventeen year old boy who is best friends with my daughter and this year He will most likely attack the school, which my daughter attends to get to this boy who is friends with my daughter."_

_Hermione began to think that her father forgot her name._

"_That is the long and short of it Mr. Granger. I hope to see your daughter soon" and with that said Dumbledore smiled, stood up, and showed himself out of the Granger household._

_No one moved for a couple minutes until Mrs. Granger let out a muffled sob and Mr. Granger started an imaginative string of cuss words._

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><p>Finally her dad jerked the car into a sort of parallel park position and Hermione jumped out the car, causing her cat to ungracefully fall to the floor with a screech of indignation, and surprising an unsuspecting old couple who happened to be walking by the car on the sidewalk that only a second ago was not filled with Hermione.<p>

The trunk popped open and Hermione dashed over to it and started taking out her luggage as her mom slowly exited the car.

"I don't want you going this year" Mrs. Granger barely whispered this, but Hermione would have heard her the same as if she yelled it. She turned and looked at her mother who had her head bowed, her posture slightly hunched, and was wringing her hands in a constant, stress filled motion. She set down the last of her luggage on the sidewalk and shut the trunk. She looked at anywhere but her mother.

"I know…but Harry needs me, Ron needs me, I'm needed there, in the magical world, not this one mom. I belong there" she felt, as she said these words that this was a significant moment in her life where she would decide to take one road or another.

Her mom raised her eyes from the ground and stared at her daughter who she finally realized had changed into a grown woman. She looked at her daughter who now stood tall, confident, and strong; ready to take on the world. She could not have felt more proud in that moment of her daughter. She smiled a sad smile, walked three steps forward, and embraced her daughter in a fierce hug.

"I know" she whispered and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

She took a step back and gazed at her daughter as if trying to memorize every detail that she might have looked over in the last eighteen years.

"I want you to remember that no matter what happens that I and your father will always love you."

At the mention of her father, Hermione looked around her mom and realized that her father was still sitting in the car, gripping the steering wheel, and staring straight ahead at the busy road in front of them.

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><p>"<em>Well, that settles it. You are not going to Hogworms or whatever the hell it's called, this year" Mr. Granger stated in a firm voice as he stood from his arm chair and placed his tea cup back on the tray on the living room coffee table.<em>

_Hermione who had been sitting on the couch in front of her mother and father and next to Dumbledore who only left a few minutes ago, jumped to her feet._

"_It's called Hogwarts dad, which I have been attending for six years, and I will be attending for a seventh" Hermione stated in the same firm voice as her father while placing her hands stiffly at her sides. Her father sent a withering glare in her direction. Her mother sat numbly, quietly in the other arm chair to Hermione's right, and was looking down at her wringing hands._

"_You. Will. Not. Be. Going. Back. To. That. School."_

"_I will be completing my education."Icily calm. _

_Mr. Granger took a step forward, now standing a hair away from the coffee table that sat in between him and his daughter. "Your damn education is not more important than your life! You will stay in this house and will be attending a normal school this year!"_

_Hermione flinched at the word 'normal' but still looked firmly at her father. "I am an adult. And I am a witch! I will not go to some muggle school because I am not a muggle!"_

_Mr. Granger walked around the coffee table and forced his daughter to face him by grabbing her arms and bodily turning her towards him in a desperate attempt to have her see what she will be walking away from._

"_You are my daughter! And I will not have you dying at the hands of a maniac just because you want to be more than what your parents are!" Mr. Granger snarled, "I will not have you die—"_

"_I will not abandon my friends!" Hermione yelled causing her voice to crack as tears welled up in her chocolate eyes as she tried to free her arms form his painful grip. "I am part of that world whether you liked to admit it or not!"_

"_I don't care about your fucking friends!" Mr. Granger shook with fury that his body could not contain, "You will stay HERE!" He emphasized with one forceful shake of Hermione's body. "HERE!"_

_His face was inches away from hers and filled with passionate anger. Hermione felt like flinching and running up stairs away from the open, fierce emotion she had never seen on her father's face before, but she held her ground firm. She wrenched her arms out of her father's grip and straightened her back._

_She screamed as the tears finally escaped her eyes, "I Don't Belong HERE Anymore!"_

_A sound of a slap echoed through the Granger house; followed by a sob._

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><p>Hermione tore her eyes away from the back of her father's head. Her mother, who followed Hermione's gaze, looked down at the ground, let go of her daughter, and took another step back. She resumed wringing her hands as her dark hair obscured the painful look on her face.<p>

"He is only worried about your safety."

Hermione sent a hard, indefinable look in her mother's direction as she touched her right cheek and said nothing in response. She bent down picked up her two suitcases looked at her mother and started walking towards the train station, Crookshanks followed obediently behind her.

She did not once look back.

Mr. Granger slowly turned his head to watch his daughter disappear into the crowded station. Then he resumed looking forward as a single tear rolled down his cheek, his jaw clenched harder, and his grip on the steering, if possible, became even tighter.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading again. <strong>

**The lyrics in the beginning is being used to summarize the whole fic and it is a fantastic song by Mariah Mcmanus called Unarmed**

**Reviews are love!**


	2. Chapter 2: Eat 'till You Drop

_****_**Yay! I updated, quickly too.**

**Just a couple notes that I didn't make before that are going to come up later: Sirius did not die in the 5th book, you will learn about his fate later. And it I forgot to mention before this will involve a series of pairing involving Hermione, you might see one or two or three here, but it will end up as SS/HG. **

**Disclaimer: Me no own, me only use for fun**

****"Talk"

_Thoughts_

_****_**On with the show!**

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><p><em>When God falls fast asleep<em>

_The kids still dance in city streets_

_The kids still move to a steady beat_

_Even if its bombs landing at their feet_

_Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now_

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><p>It was the opening feast.<p>

Hermione watched as the first years came walking through the grand, wooden doors led by the sharp faced Minerva McGonagall. She sat in between Harry and Ron, as usual, but this time, for the first time, Hermione and Ron were sitting as a couple and therefore Ron had his arm resting on Hermione's shoulders adding a comfortable weight. She looked down a smiled slightly remembering how awkward Ron was when he finally asked her out last year. It took Hermione a couple minutes even to realize what he was asking her and when she put the jumbled sentences together in a coherent fashion, she then squealed and leaped into his arms.

"Abbason, Kelly" McGonagall called from the long parchment she held in one hand while holding the sorting hat in the other. A small girl with large blue eyes walked up to the stool, placed in the center of where McGonagall was standing, and timidly sat down.

_I don't remember the first years looking that small last year. Maybe I grew over the summer?_ Hermione tilted her head upwards to look at Ron who was staring at the sorting ceremony. _Nope, didn't grow at all. I still have to look up to Ron. Damn._

"Slytherin!" and the Slytherin table clapped politely as the small girl made her way off the stool and to the green decorated table; she was smiling shyly.

"Adien, Jacob!"

Hermione glanced up, away from Ron, and looked as a boy, slightly taller than the previous girl made his way to the stool, following the same path as the girl before him. He looked over at the girl, Kelly, who was sitting at the end of the Slytherin table, and grinned widely at her. She waved back and he confidently dropped himself onto the stool. Hermione shifted her gaze to the right slightly and caught the glance of Severus Snape, Potions Master. His hair looked slightly wilder than usual, as if he didn't have time over the summer to brush it once. His eyes, though still holding veiled annoyance, looked tired. The lines on his face seemed to have deepened and his posture was more hunched than she remembered. Overall, he looked weary as if some weight was added to his shoulders that was not previous there. At this point Hermione realized she was staring and that Professor Snape was looking right at her.

Or looking right through her.

"Gryffindor!" She quickly averted her gaze back to the brown haired boy who was now prancing over to the table she sat on. The Gryffindor table cheered loudly as the boy, Jacob took his seat. Jacob searched through green eyes, the people surrounding him in order to make eye contact with the girl, Kelly sitting on the reserved Slytherin table. His eyes found hers and he waved to her then sat down and began talking to the second years who sat around him.

Harry leaned over to Hermione, "I don't think I have ever seen someone walk to a table with such swagger before."

She raised a single eyebrow at him, "Since when do you use the word 'swagger' Harry? Have you been listening to American speech tapes over the summer?"

"Ha, ha. Just because I know more lingo than you now does not give you the right to berate me," he punctuated this by sticking out his tongue. "I'm just cooler than you."

"Two points to Gryffindor for the correct use of the word 'berate'," Hermione smirked back at Harry, "Though it was ruined at your childish behavior afterwards."

Ron, who finally decided to join the conversation, supplied, "What are you two talkin' about?"

"Nothing," both Hermione and Harry stated at the same time.

A hush fell over the Great Hall and the Golden Trio realized that Albus Dumbledore was standing behind his podium starting his introductory speech. The robes, Hermione noticed were a periwinkle blue with a golden trim that somehow clashed yet matched at the same time. This contradiction was added by the lavender hat that sat on his head in a sloped fashion.

"Welcome students! Some for the first time, some for the last time, and all those in between!" Dumbledore raised his arms out to his sides, smiling widely. "I have a feeling that this year will be a most defining year for all those attending." As this point he sent a pointed look in Hermione's direction and lowered his arms back to his sides.

Thinking of her parents, she looked down at the empty, wooden table.

Harry glanced at Hermione's lowered head.

Ron had his eyes on Seamus who was making inappropriate jesters with his hands to the pleasure of the other boys sitting around him.

McGonagall sent a withering glare in their direction which went unnoticed.

"You most likely have been following the current news over the summer whether it be from a reliable news source or the Daily Prophet," this earned some laughs especially with the Gryffindor Seventh years, "and the news is grim. Over the summer, many lives were taken in both the Muggle and Magical World."

The silence that pervaded the Great Hall was deafening.

Professor Snape twitched and refused to look in Dumbledore's direction.

"These lives, which were so careless taken, sadly, will only be some of the first victims. The world is changing and there is talk of a war on the horizon," some students scoffed at this, "but do not despair in this. War is but another reality that makes up both worlds. People have survived war and we will do it again."

Dumbledore paused and gave a small smile to the crowd of students, "Do not let the fear of a war that might not come, take away your hopes for the future. Your education, your time here at Hogwarts, will shape you for the long life that is ahead of each and every one of you. Enjoy your time here. Enjoy your friends, the food, and the laughs. This is your time! Do not let fear override your happiness!"

Hermione snuggled into Ron's side more.

"And on that note, let us eat!" Dumbledore clapped his hands and the feast appeared, vanishing the sad thoughts that were in the student's minds, and filling them with thoughts of food. The chatter started up again and the Great Hall transformed into a place filled with laughter, talk, and cheer once again.

Ron unwrapped his arm from Hermione's shoulder and began filling his plate with the food that was in front of him. Hermione slowly started to fill her plate and glanced over at Ron who was now in the middle of eating and laughing at a dirty joke that Seamus just told. She looked over at Harry who was mirroring her slow movements and caught his glance. They both smiled, knowing what each one was feeling without words, and then went back to focusing on the food as Neville spilled his pumpkin juice on his lap for the first time that year.

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><p>They were now lounging in the Gryffindor Common Room. It was close to eleven and the room was mostly filled with Seventh years that were too full from the feast to move from whatever spot they occupied. Some like Hermione and Ron were sitting close to each other on one of the red couches in the room. Others, like Seamus and Harry were spread out on the ground, slightly under the coffee table, next to the fire place that was currently unlit; they looked as if they would not move from their place on the carpeted ground for awhile. Dean Thomas was sitting in a red armchair and was snoring loudly. Ginny laid full body across the other couch across from Hermione and Ron looking, looking up at the high ceiling.<p>

"I think that I ate my weight in food," Seamus.

"—" Dean.

"I'm never eating again," Harry.

"I pretty sure that I managed to gain at least seven pounds," Ginny.

"Uh, I think I might puke," Hermione.

"Who wants to go down to the kitchen with me?" Ron.

"…" everyone.

A pillow went sailing lazily, from Ginny's position on the other couch, towards Ron's head and ended up falling sort and hitting Harry in the stomach. "Ron, you're impossible."

Harry gave an undignified snort and placed the pillow under his head.

Hermione, who was reclining against the armrest of the couch, pushed herself up into a sort of sitting position and ran her hand through her messy hair. Ron looked questioningly at her, hoping in the back of his mind, that she was sitting up in order to go to the Kitchens with him.

"I think I'm going to head to the Head Girl's room before it reaches curfew and I have to sneak back," Hermione yawned, "I don't have the energy to try and sneak."

Ron's hopes of food were dashed…

… And then quickly replaced by another hope.

"Hey Hermione," she glanced over at Ron who was sitting close enough to her where she could smell his turkey filled breath, "you have your own rooms this year right?"

Hermione nodded, slowly.

"That means that no one will disturb you and that we can" Ron raised his eyebrows suggestively, "…you know…"

Hermione knew, "not tonight Ron. I'm tired, full of food, and I think if do anything more than walk, I throw up and that would ruin the mood. Maybe another night, sorry." With that she stood up, pecked Ron on the lips, stepped over Harry, then Seamus, and headed out of the Common room. Ron followed her with disappointed eyes and flopped back down on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Are guys going to bed or what?" Lavender called from the top of the stairs.

Ron opened his eyes.

She was answered with groans and a 'shut up' by Dean.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading, again.<strong>

**And the lyrics used was from Angles and Airwaves called Surrender. And I do not own it.**

**Please review and tell me what you think! It doesn't even have to be written in English ;-)**


	3. Chapter 3: Summer of '11

__**Here's yet another chapter. **

**I want to thank those that have taken the time to review the story. You people are the best and I love you!**

**Enjoy Snape and his terrible summer.**

**Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing, leave me alone now to cry in a corner.**

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><p><em>There are few who'd deny, at what I do I am the best<em>

_For my talents are renowned far and wide/_

_Yet year after year, it's the same routine_

_And I grow so weary of the sound of screams_

_And I have grown tired of the same old thing…_

_Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones_

_An emptiness began to grow_

_There's something out there, far from my home_

_A longing that I've never known_

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><p>It was the start of the school year…<p>

…And if anyone asked how Severus Snape's summer went he would send this student a withering glare, fold his arms in front of his person, and tell you in a slow tone that it was horrible thank you very much. Now return to your caldron which you will now receive a zero for, you troll.

Of course no student cared nor was brave enough to ask Professor Snape anything so his view on summer went unnoticed.

This hatred of summer can be attributed to the Dark Lord and his, in Severus's words, evil minions.

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><p><em>Snape stood on the left hand side of the Dark Lord who sat high on his throne petting his snake. Snape, in his mind, snickered at the obvious innuendo there but showed no outward change in his face.<em>

'_Merlin, this is what my life has become'_

_The rest of the dimly lit room was filled with Death Eaters, some with masks covering their faces, and others like Bellatrix LeStrange, with nothing covering their face exact a few unruly strands of hair. Bellatrix was currently talking to Mr. Lucius Malfoy, whose face could be seen holding a grin. She was gesturing emphatically with her hands as she mostly likely was retelling her most recent adventure to muggle London where she murdered an a family of seven._

_It was a very bloody murder._

_Severus would know, he was there with Bellatrix._

"_Ssssilence," the Dark Lord hissed drawing complete silence from the twenty or so that were in the room._

_Severus wondered if the Dark Lord's hissing could be attributed to a lisp or a brain malfunction…_

_The Dark Lord leaned forward on his throne, "You all have been the mosssst loyalissst of my followerssss." _

_Maybe it was a stuttering problem…_

"_And you, my Death Eatersss, have brought untold deathsssss and chaossss to the world thisss sssssumer. I am mosssst pleasssed."_

_Or some other speech impediment. Severus wondered if he should contact a speech therapist for the Dark Lord._

_Cheering resounded in the dark room. The Dark Lord raised his hand and the room was quite instantly._

"_Lucius, you have something for us, yes?" He smirked making him look less human than before. Lucius bowed and waved his hand in a beckoning motion behind him. Two Death Eaters, masked, came carrying a man a women who were both battered and bloodied. Their clothes were ripped in places and the women could, most likely, not see out of her swollen left eye. The two masked men dropped the two people on the ground and they instantly grabbed onto each other. They shook in each other's arms, frantically, looking around the room in complete confusion._

"_This is your prize my loyal followers," He gave a pointed look at Severus, "enjoy."_

_The woman's chocolate brown eye's looked pleadingly up at Severus and for a moment he stopped breathing…_

…_He recognized those eyes._

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><p>"Sir?"<p>

Chocolate brown eyes stared levelly at him.

Severus tensed and looked around him noticing the bubbling caldrons, the fumes that permeated the air, the chalkboard to his left, the red pen in his hand, the desk he sat in, and the girl standing in front of him who had the same eyes as the women he tortured over the summer.

"What is it Ms. Granger?" He placing as much annoyance into his voice as possible while leaving out the relief he felt when he realized that he was not at a Death Eater meeting, but teaching Seventh year Advanced Potions. The look Hermione gave him stated that he did not accomplish this task as perfectly as he hoped he had.

Hermione looked at him with a confused expression on her face, "I have finished my potion sir can I leave? Professor Dumbledore has requested me to meet him in his office ASAP." She shifted to her right foot as Professor Snape stared at her, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

Hermione shifted to her left foot.

"Sir?"

Professor Snape jerked slightly, "Yes, leave Ms. Granger."

She turned on her heel, walked back to her seat, grabbed her back, and walked out the classroom door. Severus followed her form and let out a sigh when the door shut behind her. He looked back down at the paper he was grading, wrote a T on it, and slammed down on the completed pile on his desk without ever reading it.

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><p>Hermione was having a good day.<p>

She woke up on time, got dressed at a leisurely pace, was able to wear her favorite jeans, and this morning the breakfast consisted of blue berry muffins. She was able to spend this breakfast with Harry, her best friend, and Ron, her boyfriend; two people she loved unconditionally. She then was able to stay awake during History and made it through Potions without being yelled at once by Professor Snape. All in all a perfect day in Hermione's book.

So she should have known that something bad was bound to happen.

This something bad came in the form of Albus Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry sir, what do you want me to do?" Hermione sat on a chair across from Dumbledore, nursing her tea, which, a few seconds ago, she inhaled through her nose in a most embracing fashion. Dumbledore smiled at her confusion and his eyes began twinkling.

"I apologize for not speaking clearly enough. I want you to make a potion that would counteract the effects of the Dark Mark," he stated this like he asked her to knit a lovely sweater in time for winter. Hermione set he tea cup down in fear of snorting it again on accident in case Dumbledore decided to say something else that was ridiculous; maybe something involving her, the moon, a cow, and some sort of leaping motion.

Hermione could only form one word, "Why?"

Dumbledore leaned forward in his seat, "Because, my dear, a time is coming when spies will no longer be needed for information, but be needed to fight."

"You want me to make a potion that would counteract one of the darkest forms of magic based on an incantation that no one has heard fully for, I'm guessing, Professor Snape who is a certified Potions Master and has more knowledge of it than I. Correct?"

"Yes," he leaned back into his chair. "And to address why Severus is not assigned to this task is because he does not simply have time for it. He must teach, grade, spy, and brew potions for both the infirmary and Professor Lupin who is teaching again this year."

Hermione felt like crying.

"But, I never said he would not be able to aid you. He just can't do it himself." Dumbledore acted as if this was a reassuring proposition. Hermione now felt like melting into the floor and becoming part of the room, maybe one of the stones on the floor.

"Oh…good."

Dumbledore stood and clapped his hands together. "Great, I will inform Severus today and you can start this weekend." He walked over to Hermione and clasped her shoulder causing her to look up at him, his eyes still twinkling. "I have full confidence that you can do this Hermione."

She felt he wasn't only referring to her ability to brew potions.

She smiled weakly back at him and made to stand. He stepped back and allowed her to pick up her bag and take three steps towards the door until he spoke again.

"This is your task Hermione. I ask you not to speak of this to either of your cohorts."

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><p>Severus sat in his rooms on an armchair that squeaked if one shifted to their right. He held a glass of brandy in his hand that was now half full. He was slouched in the chair and was looking absently at the fire place while his mind replayed his conversation with Dumbledore that he had before dinner.<p>

"He wants me to work with the Know-it-all. How bloody fantastic," Severus raised his eyes as expecting someone else to be in his room. "Great, now I'm talking to myself".

Severus feared he was going insane.

And yet through all this insanity he kept seeing the woman's eyes in his mind and kept noticing the uncanny resemblance to one know-it-all, Ms. Granger. He sighed, placed his drink on the table, and stood. The action caused several bones to pop and creak in protest along with the chair he just vacated.

"I'm too old for this."

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><p><em>But who here would ever understand<em>

_He'd give it all up if he only could_

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this chapter.<strong>

**The quotation at the beginning of the chapter is Jack's Lament from the Nightmare Before Christmas which surprisingly fits Snape quite well.**

**REVIEW! Please ;-)**


	4. Chapter 4: ChaChaChanges

__**Another chapter! I am so on top of this. Woot!**

**A big THANKS to all those people who have reviewed (the three of you). You guys are awesome.**

**This chapter begins with Draco which is who the beginning lyrics apply to. **

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing because I am poor; sad times.**

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><p><em>You fight with your right hand<em>

_And caress with your left hand_

_Everyone I know is sick to death of you/_

_Ever since_

_You don't look the same _

_You're just not the same, no way_

_What the hell have they stuck into you?_

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><p>It was one week into the school year…<p>

…And Draco Malfoy wished that he could stop time permanently or make the world end; whichever came first or was more convenient.

Draco Malfoy was tired.

He was tired of school. He was tired of studying. He was tired of having to insult Potter and his group of Gryffindor friends. He was tired of insulting every Weasel that went to Hogwarts. He was tired of his father. He was tired of living up to his father's expectations. He was tired of the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.

Draco Malfoy just wanted to be left alone, but that is what he wanted, so obviously, it would not happen.

Overall, he was tired of acting like he had the last seven years for his father, while wanting nothing more than to be someone else entirely. He disliked his current, even if it was, fake self and wanted to change. He felt like some psycho person who had multiple personalities.

And above all, Draco Malfoy was afraid.

He was afraid of failing in school. He was afraid of Potter and his group of brave friends. He was afraid of father. He was afraid of not living up to his father's expectations. He was afraid to act like he wanted to act. He was afraid of the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. He was afraid of being turned into one of the Dark Lord's Death Eaters.

This fear kept him performing the same act every year, because he was afraid of what would happen to him if he didn't.

"Hey Malfoy, do you want to go scare some Gryffindor first years?" Blaise Zabini called from the top of the stairs overlooking the common room. Draco, from his place on the couch, kept looking down at the book he was pretending to read in his hands.

"No. I'm going to the library."

He stood up, tucked his book under his arm, and left the Slytherin Common room.

And Blaise watched him leave.

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><p>Hermione was terrified.<p>

Her current fear resided before an ornate wood door. This is the same door that she currently stood in front of, not knocking, just staring. Thoughts of dungeons, chains, and a dragon all ran through her head as she glared at the door, hoping, that she would develop the skill Mad-Eye Moody had and be able to see through the offending door.

Two minutes passed and her eye sight had not improved to x-ray vision.

She thought about giving it another two minutes to develop.

"Ms. Granger I know that you're a Gryffindor but even you must know that to open a door one must turn the handle and then push inward." A voice streaked with a lazy annoyance filtered through the other side of the door where Hermione's fear of death resided.

She jumped at the noise but made no movement towards the door.

A grunt, a scrape of a chair, six stomping steps, and the creak of a door opening all led to Professor Snape standing in front of Hermione. His arms were crossed and he stood his full height of six foot four making him tower over her. He said nothing but grabbed her arm and pulled her into his office and then slammed the door shut behind him. Hermione stood where he left her as he made his way back to his desk which was in the left corner of the tiny room. Jars, glasses, and parts of animals lined the walls of the office as well as a stack of broken caldrons in the right, back corner of the room.

_This is where they are going to find my body_. Hermione shivered.

Professor Snape stapled his fingers in front of himself, "Now you know, as well as I, that this was Dumbledore's idea and that I never requested the aid of anyone, yet alone you, to help me with this project." He paused.

Hermione felt that this was getting off to a bad start.

"And then he informed me that you would not be aiding me, but I," Professor Snape pointed to himself. "Would be aiding you and _you _would be making the potion with _me _as an assistant."

Hermione steeled her back. _Oh, my God. He is going to kill me._

Professor Snape stood up and walked over to Hermione which forced her to crane her neck to look at him in the eyes. "So, _Professor_ Granger, what is your first course of action?" The sentence dripped of some sarcasm that Hermione feared she might drown in it.

"Research," Hermione said it in a small voice and then berated herself for sounding so pathetic. Professor Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Well, once you have fully researched the material come find me because this conversation right now has been a waste of my time," He turned on his heel, walked back to his desk, sat down, and picked up his red pen. Hermione made no signs of moving.

"You can show yourself out," He stated without looking up from the paper he was grading.

Hermione stiffly turned and made for the door.

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><p>Severus let out a sigh of relief and sank into his uncomfortable chair as soon as the door shut behind Hermione. <em>Ms. Granger!<em> His mind supplied. He dropped the pen and rubbed his face tiredly with his hand.

All he kept seeing was the dead woman's eyes.

_Damn you Albus, making me work with a student that I can't bear to look at._

* * *

><p>Ginny sat in the library.<p>

She was at one of the long tables towards the back of the library next to a window. The light of the setting sun casts reds and pinks into her part of the room. She sat cross legged on the chair as she read a book on charms and their one thousand and one uses. She was on use three hundred and four.

Ginny was perfectly content.

Someone coughed as in trying to get her attention from the right side of her. She looked up from her book to see Draco Malfoy standing a couple feet from her trying, and failing, to look annoyed at the situation he found himself in.

Ginny looked back down at her book.

"If you came here to insult, hex, or curse me then you better leave because I am, as they say, happy as a clam, and you won't get a rise out of me today." Ginny turned the page.

Malfoy shifted to his left foot.

"I'm not here to insult you Wease—Weasely."

Ginny looked up at him with disbelief clearly lining her face, "Really?"

"Yes," Malfoy sighed. "I asked Madam Pince for a book and she said that you had already checked it out." He pointed to the book lying peacefully on the table. "I need it for my charms essay."

Ginny looked down at the book as if it did something horrendous to her. "Well, I'll be done with it after today. Then you can check it out tomorrow."

Malfoy looked up at the ceiling, "The essay is due tomorrow. I forgot I had to do it until today."

She was really comfortable where she was and was immensely enjoying the book. She looked down at the book and back up at Malfoy and then back down at the book again. _Damn._

"I guess that you can sit here and share it with me then if you are feeling in such a generous, non-insulting mood."

He contemplated his course of action for a minute and decided that his essay was more important than his fake, father induced pride. He pulled out a chair next to Ginny, pulled out a quill and paper from his leather bag, and sat down next to her. Ginny slid the book in between them.

* * *

><p>Hermione entered the library after her talk to Professor Snape.<p>

She wanted to get as much research as possible as to not look like a fool in front of Professor Snape again. _'Pointless conversation?' How rude! Well, I'll make the next conversation the best he's ever had!_

She stomped down the aisles causing Madam Pince to send a glare her way and as she reached the back of the library she saw a most interesting sight.

Ginny and Malfoy were sitting at the same table, next to each other, and not yelling.

_Aw, crap. I need to start spending more time with Ron_. That thought left Hermione's mind as soon as she spotted the book she was looking for.

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><p>Draco never finished his Charms essay.<p>

He blames this on the sun causing Ginny's hair to light up in the most magnificent, and distracting, way.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed.<strong>

**Like normal. The lyrics at the beginning were from a song called The Operation by Morrissey and I do not own it**

**Feedback is love!**


	5. Chapter 5: In Which a Cup Breaks

**Hello everybody. Another chapter posted, yay!**

**This one involves a fight scene which I hoped I captured correctly. Uh, not really for Ron fans, but I promise I will redeem his ways, somewhat, kinda, later on...**

**Disclaimer: " "**

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><p><em>Let those bully boys walk behind me in the playground. Let them tell me, 'You're a darkie. Faith's a darkie. I am the grand-daughter of Grace and William Campbell. I am the great-grandchild of Cecelia Hilton. I am descended from Katherine whose mother was a slave. I am the cousin of Africa. I am the niece of Coral Thompson and the daughter of Wade and Mildred Jackson. Let them say what they like. Because I am the bastard child of Empire and I will have my day.<em>

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><p>Two weeks later…<p>

Hermione sat in the library and looked like the text book definition of exhaustion. Her normally sort of tamed hair was in a messy bun in which strands of dark honey colored hair fell around her face. She had abandoned her robes, since it was the weekend, and wore a ratty old t-shirt with a pair of paint stained sweat pants. She sat on top of the table (because it was more convenient to look at the ten books she had spread around her) with her legs crossed. Books, over all sizes and ages, along with papers were scattered haphazardly around her in a design that broke the laws of geometry.

Hermione felt like pulling her hair out and screaming.

It had been two weeks since she had that lovely chat with Professor Snape and two weeks since she started her research on the subject of potions and dark magic. Then her studies shifted to potions having to do with binding people, as the Dark Mark does, and found that the library had only books about love binding. So, her next course of action was to break into the restricted section. She did this two days ago and she was still reading and taking notes on the new books she found.

She came to one conclusion so far: that this is almost an impossible task. She should have expected this because it was assigned to her by Dumbledore. Typical.

She still persisted in these efforts because one, it was an important task and two; she wanted to show up Professor Snape, beat him at his own game rather.

Hermione checked the watch on her arm, "Shit, its already eleven." She stacked all the books, placing her notes in specific pages, shrunk them, and then began the trek back to her rooms.

Ten minutes later she came to her portrait which was of a mermaid (which looked exactly like Ariel). Hermione gave the password and stepped through the doorway.

"Hey."

Hermione screamed, jumped, dropped the now un-shrunken books on the ground, and then whipped around to see where the male voice had come from.

It was Ron. "Ron?" He was sitting on the couch to the right of Hermione. His legs were crossed on top of the coffee table and he held a Quidditch magazine in his hand. He was looking right at Hermione with an unreadable expression on his face. He placed the magazine on the table, stood up, walked over to Hermione, and hugged her.

"Hey, Ron," Hermione really did not know why he was in her rooms or why he felt the need to hug her. Not that she was complaining. "What are you doing here so late? You'll get in trouble on your way back if a teacher catches you."

Ron stepped back and let go of Hermione. "Well, it is the weekend and I wanted to come over to spend some time with. I expected you back earlier than this though."

"Yeah, sorry," Hermione said sheepishly and waved her hand over the books scattered around the floor behind her. "I was caught up reading as you can see."

Ron didn't look down at the books. "I know, you've been very busy and we haven't even spoken that much expect when we eat and in between classes."

Hermione walked over to the small kitchen that was set up in the room which was to her left, opposite of the couch, and started going through the cupboards there. She spoke as her back was turned to Ron.

"I've been studying, a lot. You know Newts are this year and I'm worried, but it has only been two weeks. I'm sure my schedule will clear up later in the year." Hermione had found the coffee filters, and the coffee grinds and moved over to where the coffee pot was near the sink.

Ron spoke up from where he relocated near the entrance of the kitchen which was where the carpet transformed into tile. "It hasn't only been two weeks. I didn't see you over the summer _and_ you didn't write me at all."

Hermione was still facing away from him as she started the coffee. "You know why I couldn't see nor write you Ron. My parents were worried. They kept me in the house the whole summer and didn't allow any owls. I've already told you this."

Ron huffed. "Well, you still should have tried something. I am your boyfriend."

"Yes, I know that Ron, but there was nothing I could have done. It's not like you were the only person I wasn't writing. I couldn't write Harry either and he understood. Hell, he has never been able to write us because of his insane relatives." Hermione's voice rose a little higher than normal towards the end of her speech.

"Oh, so yet again you're comparing me to Harry," now Ron began to sound angry. Hermione whipped around to face him.

"My God Ron I was just using an example. I was trying to show how ridiculous your being." Hermione watched as red spots began to appear on Ron's cheeks.

"I'm being ridiculous?" He pointed at Hermione. "You're the one who had been avoiding me ever since we started dating!"

"I am not avoiding you! I'm busy Ronald!"

"Oh, Bull-_shit_. Even you don't need to study for a few tests that are a whole year away!"

"It's true!"

"No it isn't! You avoid me! Ignore me! And you dare use the excuse that you're studying for a test? Give me the really reason! Are you cheating on me!" Ron was gesturing wildly with his hands and his face was growing redder with tinges of purple.

Hermione took a step into the counter as though she had been slapped. "Cheating? Cheating?" Her voice rose higher. "Cheating on you? Who do you take me for? Do you think I'm some common slut parading around Hogwarts looking for my next shag! How dare you Ron!"

"Then what is it?"

"I'M STUDYING POTIONS!" Hermione gasped as soon as she said it and looked around trying to find the person who said those words until she realized it was herself. Ron deflated slightly.

"What?"

_Shit! I can't tell him the truth. Dumbledore might not kill me but Professor Snape most certainly will_. "Yes Ronald. I want to emphasize my studies in potions when I go to a university."

Ron stood silently still.

Hermione took this break from yelling to turn around and poor herself some coffee which was already finished. She put two sugars and some creamer in the cup, stirred it, sipped, and then turned back to Ron who looked ready to speak again.

"So…you've been studying potions books for reason other than to get ready for a university."

Hermione, happy the Ron was going along with her lie, smiled. "Yes, I might even apprentice which is why I spoke to Professor Snape a couple weeks ago."

"You spoke to Snape?"

"Professor Snape Ron; and yes I did. He wasn't very helpful or encouraging, but I will continue to study anyway," _Well, _Hermione thought, _at least that isn't far from the truth._

"Why?" That word, to Hermione, seemed to be a loaded question and yet she had no idea why.

"Because I want to," She said this slowly, almost in a question form. Ron stepped forward.

"There's no reason to."

"No reason to what? Want to?" Hermione looked surprise. "Of course there is. I want to get a good education beyond Hogwarts and I need-"

"No you don't." Ron took another step forward. "Once we graduate, if we even live that long, we'll get married."

Hermione was confused. "Yes, supposedly, but there are no reasons, other than us dying, that would stop me from going to a university out of what you just stated."

Ron smiled at her like she was slow in the head. "No, we will be married. I will work, hopefully play pro Quidditch and you will stay at home with the kids."

Hermione looked offended. "What? That's retarded Ron. I'm not staying at home washing dishes all day why you go be manly-provider-man and gallivant around the town."

"I'm the man. That's my job. Your job is to raise the family and maintain the home and buy groceries, and gossip with the neighbors." Ron stated this as a normal fact. Hermione looked ready to lunge and do bodily harm to him. She calmly placed her cup on the counter behind her.

"I will not be some house wife whose only job is to look pretty but never talk. I am my own person not some trophy you like to show off, Ronald."

Ron looked offended and pissed. "What's wrong with being a house wife? That's what my mom does."

"Yes, and it works for your mom. I think she's a fantastic woman, but that lifestyle is not for me," Hermione raised her arms above her head. "I'll go mad!"

"That's your job."

"This is a pointless conversation," Hermione turned around to wash out her cup. "We aren't even married. We are only dating now. We don't need to argue about a future that might not even come."

Ron grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him. For a moment, Hermione almost expected to see Snape when she was turned around, but what she was met with was the enraged face of Ronald Weasely. The motion caused Hermione to drop the coffee cup. It shattered on the ground.

"You won't even consider fucking MARRYING me now?"

Hermione struggled in his grasp. "Not if I'm only expected to push out kids like a vending machine!"

"Oh, so you're above what my mother does. Is that it?" Ron got in close to her face. "DO you think you're above my fucking family and my fucking life style?"

"No Ron I don't believe I'm above you. I…I just," Hermione voice shook a little; his grip was getting tighter. "I WILL not be bare foot and pregnant my entire life just to please you and your SEXIST views of women! You're just as bad as MALFOY and his PUREBLOOD CRAP!"

Ron let go of her right arm and slapped her.

"Don't ever compare me to that FERRET!" Ron shoved Hermione causing her to hit the counter, lose her balance, and fall to the ground on her side; her legs would no longer support her. Ron grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her up enough to face him. The side of her cheek was already reddening.

"And don't you ever," Ron's voice became very low. "Insult me again. You're not special Hermione; you're as common as they get."

"Com-com—common?" Hermione's voice broke as tears finally fell down her face.

Ron let go of her shirt, causing Hermione to quickly catch herself on one arm. She still could not comprehend what just happened.

The front door slammed shut and the voice of the portrait mermaid could be heard screaming as it shut.

Hermione did not move from her position on the floor.

* * *

><p>Severus was walking the length of the castle looking for boys and girls that were out passed curfew. He had already taken 20 points from Ravenclaw, 15 points from Hufflepuff (though, no thinking about it, he should have taken more because that image would forever be cemented in his mind) and 40 points from Gryffindor. So, it was a good night.<p>

He was on his way back to the Dungeons where a glass of fire whiskey awaited when he heard vague noises coming from the left, a few yards, in front of him. He quicken his pace, hoping it was a Gryffindor and dreading it was a Hufflepuff, and came to a stop in front of a portrait of a mermaid.

It was the head girls room

_Hermione_.

_No it's Ms. Granger._

The yelling stopped. Severus paused in front of the door and the women from over the summer flashed in front of his eyes again; replaying her pleading brown eyes. He closed his eyes, turned his body, and walked away not bothering to check the room.

* * *

><p>Hermione picked herself off the floor awhile after Ron had left. She slowly began to pick up the pieces of the shattered cup off the ground and threw them in the trash; not bothering to try and fix what was broken.<p>

She wiped the tears from her face and made her way the up the spiral stairs to her room.

She walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Not once did the thought of Ron cross her mind the rest of that night.

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><p><strong>Oooh, symbols abound in this chapter! Hope you enjoyed.<strong>

**Next Chapter: involves a little of Harry and his problems (it will be a long chapter), Hermione meeting with Snape again (let the tensions rise), some more of Draco and Ginny's take on him and his reformed(?) ways...**

**...and maybe Neville destroying another cauldron **

**All I ask it for a review. Love it? Hate it? Suggestions? Confusions? Write in a review :-)**

**Like normal; the quotation from above is from a book called _Fruit of the Lemon_ by Andrea Levy and I do not own it**


	6. Chapter 6:Search and Not? Find

**YAY! Another chapter, and it's a long one. The thing I mentioned a couple chapters ago about Sirius not being dead, that comes into play this chapter.**

**As I said at the end of the last chapter I brought you Harry, some Harry and Hermione, and Hermione and Snape. Though I didn't place Ginny or Draco in here I did manage to bring in Neville exploding a cauldron or two. **

**Disclaimer: still not mine, but it will be soon (evil laughter)...not really...**

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><p><em>Lay down, lay down your weapons boy<em>

_Right not, right now you should've changed the world_

_Under it all, you're not so tough_

_Everyone, everyone just wants to fall in love_

* * *

><p>It was only two weeks into the school year…<p>

…And Harry had almost died three times. He was convinced that there was a god and that he, for some reason, regretted his decision making him and was trying to take back his mistake through the most imaginative ways.

The first almost death happened in potions. No, not Newt potions, but sixth year potions. Harry failed his potions class last year (he still blames Snape for that) and so he had to take it over again this year. He was not alone in this. Unsurprisingly, Neville had failed too. Unfortunately for Harry, Neville was the only other seventh year who had to repeat sixth year potions, so they had to work together. That is how Harry almost died the first time when Neville, like usual, messed up a potion. The difference this time was Harry wasn't paying attention and only ducked for cover a millisecond before the thing shot straight up, cracked the ceiling, and chunks of debris fell to the floor. Harry managed to get under the table in time. Neville along with three other students and an irate Potions Master did not.

Harry was pretty sure that if Neville wasn't dead yet, he would be soon at the hands of Snape.

Harry's second brush with death could be attributed to the same cause as above. Only this time, the potion exploded out hot blue liquid that melted anything it came into contact with. Harry spent two days in the infirmary because of that accident.

The third brush with death was a little more embarrassing.

Harry was late. He slept in, missed breakfast, and was running down the hallways trying to get Transfiguration in time. He was so worried of being late that he didn't tie his shoe. He came to the moving staircase and starting sprinting to the top hoping to avoid waiting for it to swing back his way again. That's when his shoe lace decided to sneak under his foot. If he didn't have such fast reflexes he would have ended up the Boy-Who-Was-Flat. Instead he caught the moving staircase just in time as he was falling with his hands and with his chin invoking another trip to the infirmary.

The school year wasn't looking promising.

His fall only happened a couple days ago and now he religiously checked his shoe laces. He was currently making his way to double Defense Against the Dark Arts. His body taking him on the route he had walked for seven years, while his mind was in other places. _Why wasn't Hermione or Ron at breakfast today? I spent the whole time talking to Neville who keeps looking at me with guilt. Yeah, well he should. I had never wanted to know what it felt like to have your hand melt away._ Harry unconsciously shook out his now saved hand, though a patch of skin on the top of his hand was slightly darker than the rest.

He took his seat towards the front in the DADA room just as the class started.

"Welcome class," Professor Lupin smiled. "It's nice to see you here bright and early and clearly ready to learn." This earned him a couple moans and groans from the half-awake class. This was when Harry realized that Luna, not Hermione, was sitting next to him. He looked at Luna, she smiled dreamily at him.

"The Woofles aren't bothering me today," she stated clearly excited about this fact.

Harry quirked his lips up trying to smile encouragingly back. "That's…uh, great Luna."

"Now today we will be studying the effects of-"

The door to the classroom opened slowly and then closed.

Harry turned around and stared at the back of the classroom in complete disbelief.

"Welcome Ms. Granger," Professor Lupin addressed the girl who stood slightly in the shadows of the classroom. Her hair tied lazily in a bun and her clothes seemed to be hanging from her body, not on her body. "Please bring your note up for why you are late and take a seat."

He opened his mouth to begin his lecture.

"I don't have a note Professor," she said this very quietly. Harry was still in shock. Luna cocked her head and seemed to be looking, near, not at, Hermione. "I over slept."

Harry choked down his gasp.

Professor Lupin looked lost. "Oh, well. Uh…five points from Gryffindor and take your seat."

Hermione slid over and took a seat in the back of the classroom which only held twenty students because it was a Newt class. She was the only one sitting in the last row. Harry tried to telepathically communicate with her by staring at her but he was not a Legilimens, as Snape pointed out to him over and over again in his fifth year, so the effort was fruitless.

Harry tried to get her attention by staring harder at her. _Maybe if a burn a hole in her head she'll notice me_. She never looked up and much to Harry's disappointment; her head did not start to smoke.

He eventually turned back around.

He vaguely heard what Lupin was taking about. He caught the words "class", "magic", "light", and "important" but he was too busy looking back at Hermione every two seconds.

He dropped his quill when he realized that Hermione wasn't taking any notes.

"And then she said 'I don't even own a horse!'" Seamus whispered behind and to the left of Harry. The boys sitting around him snickered quietly.

Harry shifted his gaze to the right and saw Ron laughing with rest of the boys; completely ignoring Hermione.

Harry looked back at Hermione, who was staring intently at her empty paper, and then back at Ron who was laughing, and decided he was going to corner Hermione after class whether she liked it or not.

* * *

><p>Two hours later…<p>

Professor Lupin dismissed the class and Harry shot out of his seat. He threw all his stuff haphazardly into his bag (which really wasn't any different than normal) and took two steps towards the door where Hermione was already leaving from.

"Harry, can I speak to you for a minute?" Lupin's voice sounded behind him.

_Shit._

Harry sighed and turned around. "Uh, is it really important 'cause I got this test coming—"

"It's about Snuffles," Lupin cut him off from the obvious lie Harry was forming. Harry paused and turned completely around to face his Professor in the now empty classroom. Kids laughing and yelling could be heard faintly through the closed door.

"Sirius?" His voice wavered.

Professor Lupin smiled faintly. "The healers told me something yesterday that went over my head. Something about brain activity being related to magical levels," Lupin waved his hand as if shooing the words the away, "but the overall meaning was that he would wake up at any time, you know, from the coma."

Harry stood stock still. "Really?" He felt like crying and jumping up and down at the same time.

"Yeah," Lupin stepped forward and indefinable happiness in his eyes. "I can write you a pass and we can go see him now."

Harry opened his mouth to say 'yes' and then closed it. _Hermione…_ "I'm sorry Professor Lupin—"

"Remus."

"Uh, Remus," _that sounds strange. _"I have something I need to do today and its really important. Can I take a rain check on that? Maybe go over the weekend?"

Remus nodded his head, "Sure, Harry."

"Thanks," and then Harry rushed out of the classroom in search of Hermione.

* * *

><p>Hermione went to her classes in a haze.<p>

Her mid kept replaying the argument she had last night with Ron. _Common? I'm common?_

"How _dare _he!" Hermione yelled loud scaring some second years walking past her.

She was so angry at him. She felt like going up to him and kidney punching him. She also felt like going to her room grabbing a pint of ice cream, crying, and watching the Notebook. She was hurt, upset, and angry which is why she didn't pay any attention to any of her classes that day; too many emotions fighting each other in her head.

She was now walking around the castle aimlessly, like she had been doing the past two hours.

"Ah, Ms. Granger just the person I was looking for," Professor Snape's voice sounded falsely happy behind her. She turned around, staring through him, not at him.

"Sir?"

He turned on his heel and began walking away from her. "Follow me Granger." He didn't wait for her to follow. Hermione walked slowly behind him. A few minutes later they reached the wooden door that led to his office. Hermione recognized it immediately because she had stared at it for a while last time she was here. She followed him inside. He shut the door, walked over to his desk and leaned against it with his arms crossed.

"What have you researched so far?"

Hermione spoke automatically, reciting her findings with a monotone voice. "I looked through books pertaining to Binding spells and their relationship with potions, but found that the library only held books about love biding spells which is obviously not what the Dark Mark does."

Professor Snape snorted at this.

"So, I bro—I got a pass to go into the Restricted Section to look for dark magic binding spells. I found that there are many different kinds, each one differing on how exactly the caster wished to bind the person. I narrowed down my search to spells that bind the person bodily to the caster, since Vol—the Dark Lord can summon you physically from anywhere."

Snape stared at Hermione as she looked passed him at his desk.

"Then I look for spells that not only bind the body but the mind as—"

"The Dark Lord cannot read my mind through the Mark, Ms. Granger," Snape interrupted her, "as some people suspect."

"No, I know that," Hermione finally looked up at him with a shine in her eyes. The same she has when she figured out something that no one else thought of. Though, this shine was dimmed a bit. "But he can _cause_ you pain through the Mark, right?"

Hermione knew she was right on this, and Snape knew she knew, but he nodded anyways.

"The pain he causes you is not physical, since he isn't there, but mental. It's all in your mind sir. So in that essence, yes, you are bound to him mentally as well."

She paused.

"You are, as well, bound through your magic too since he can drain you of your magic to fuel his own. So, overall the Dark Mark binds mind, body, and magic (or soul) to the caster, Volde—the Dark Lord."

Snape uncrossed his arms and placed his hand on the desk. "Good, but what of the potion to counteract this?"

Hermione looked back down at the ground. "That's all I have found so far. I am guessing, from the little I started reading about the actual potions, there isn't one, single potion to do this. I have a feeling that I—we will need to make two or even three potions that attack different parts of the Mark. Though what these exact potions are I have no clue, sir."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "And why haven't you thoroughly researched the potions yet. I did give you two weeks."

Anger made a leap forward in front of her other feelings. "TWO WEEKS isn't that long of a time!" Hermione threw a hand over her mouth and her eyes widen almost comically in surprise until she remembered exactly who had been judging her of her management of the last two week besides Snape. Tears began to form in her eyes as sadness pushed the anger to the back of her mind. "I—I mean I was…interrupted before I finish researching the potions, sir."

Snape was about to reprimand her and take away a generous amount of points for her outburst, but a little voice in the back of his mind stopped him.

_The yelling…_

"Follow me Ms. Granger," Snape turned without looking if she was following him, again. He walked to the back of the office where a door stood that Hermione had not previously noticed. He opened it walked through into a room that was dimly lit. He waved his hand and the fireplace lit up. The room was decorated in earth colors, browns, dark greens, and grays. In the middle of the room, next to the fire place, sat two couches of a dark green color; in the middle of these couches stood a small, glass coffee table, Facing the fire place, at the end of the couches, was an arm chair which was of a dark brown color. On the opposite end of the room, to Hermione's left, was a book case, the length of the wall, filled with books, most looking old and thoroughly read multiple times.

Snape conjured up a tea tray, which included a few biscuits as well, sat down in the arm chair, and then beckoned Hermione to sit down the end of the couch. Hermione automatically obeyed and sat down on extremely comfy couch, picked up a cup of tea, and leaned back.

Snape wasn't sure how to start the conversation. "I heard yelling coming from your room last night." _Wow, Severus, great job. You managed to make yourself sound like a creeper in the first line. Bravo._

Hermione choked on her tea. "Uh, what?"

"Your room Ms. Granger," trying to sound annoyed. _Good, being annoyed is safe_. "I was patrolling and I heard raised voices, also known commonly as 'yelling', coming from your room."

"Oookay," Hermione wasn't sure were this conversation was going.

Snape sighed. "I'm asking you why, you daft woman!" _Oh, so she's a woman now?_

Hermione opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened her mouth again. "Why do you care…sir?"

_That's a good question. Why do you care Severus? _"I'm merely asking because obviously whatever the yelling was about is affecting your work enough where you aren't prepared to even begin a potion yet and I will not have you mopping about and comprising _our _job."

"Oh," for a second Hermione thought he cared. Her voice went back to monotone. "It was just a petty argument that got out of hand."

Snape noticed her change in tone. _Nice job Severus_. "Yes and I'm known to be the nicest professor here. It obviously wasn't 'just' an argument, as you put it, or you wouldn't be affected this much. So just tell me what happened and why you're upset so we can move on."

Hermione looked up at him and saw something resembling concern flash in his eyes.

Sadness welled up inside her and the floodgates opened.

She told him everything.

* * *

><p>Harry was tired.<p>

He had walked around the entire castle, checked the library three times, every classroom at least once earning him a Wanted status with most of the professors who now disliked him greatly, and even checked Hermione's room twice.

She was nowhere to be seen.

Harry decided to go back and wait in her room. _She has to sleep at some point_.

So he began his trek back to the top floor of the castle; avoiding the moving staircase along the way.

* * *

><p>An hour, three biscuits, four cups of tea, and eight napkins later Hermione, finished her rant.<p>

"Common…he called me _common_," Hermione took a deep breath, not wanting to cry again. "Bloody bastard." This was the first time she had ever cussed in front of a professor.

Snape sat stunned in his seat. His right hand held his now cold tea, and his other held another napkin just in case she started to cry again.

Hermione looked at Snape who still had not said a word.

She looked back down at the coffee table.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, set down the tea cup, picked up her bag, and headed for the door, believing that Snape was done with her. _Well, at least he didn't make fun of me._

Her hand reached for the door.

"Ms. Granger," Hermione turned around to face him. Her blood shot eyes which were surrounded with mascara locked with his which held emotions she couldn't decipher.

"You are anything but _common_."

* * *

><p>"Hermione?"<p>

She screamed, dropped her bag on the ground, and whipped around to face the voice that came from her room. She took a minute to realize she had done this action before.

"Harry?"

He stood up from his seat on the couch. "I have been looking _everywhere _for you." Harry started to pace. "I saw you in Defense and you were late, which was strange, so I wondered what was wrong and Luna said something, but that isn't the point. Then you sat in the back of the classroom and I spent the entire two hours trying to get your attention, but your head never started to smoke and I suck at Legilimens…"

Hermione stood and stared at Harry walking back and forth.

"So I decided to meet you right after class but you ran and Lupin stopped me. Oh, Sirius should wake up any day now, ow!"

Harry had accidently kicked the leg of the coffee table and then continued pacing.

"So I started searching the whole castle for you. I never realized how large this school is. I mean, who the hell designed this place? Really? Don't answer that, you'll probably tell me it's in Hogwarts: A History. Anyway, so I searched the castle, then I checked the library, then I began checking classrooms. Professors hate me now, by the way, but that isn't your fault, I mean, it kinda is, in a non-direct way, but I don't blame you." Harry took a breath. "So after getting kicked out of all the classrooms, I checked your room, you weren't there, obviously. So I walked around castle again, then I checked outside the castle. I even went to the Quidditch Pitch as a last ditch effort. So I gave up and decided to wait in you rooms…so—"

Harry paused, and looked to where Hermione was, only to realize she was standing right in front of him. She raised her head to look at him in the eyes. That's when Harry noticed her red-rimmed, mascara eyes and blotchy face.

"Hermione, are you-OW!"

Hermione punched him in the chest.

"What the Hell-? Ow, stop!"

Harry began backing up as Hermione kept hitting him anywhere she could reach.

"Hermione—stop," Harry tried blocking her hits.

It wasn't working.

"You idiot!" Hermione began yelling at him now along with hitting him. "You could have used the DA coin! I was looking for you too!" She hit him in the stomach. "I thought you didn't notice or care or…or-Idiot!"

Hermione kept on hitting him.

Harry backed up and the back of his legs hit the edge of the couch.

"Because of you I ended up spilling my guts out to Snape! SNAPE!" She now was hitting his arms. "He's going to think I'm an idiot now. I even cried. I choked down a whole biscuit, in one bite, and was talking at the same time!" Hermione reflected on the moment. "Oh, my God! I embarrassed myself! I can't even look at him anymore…!"

She paused and Harry to the moment to grab her hands and hold them at bay, in front of his body. Hermione, who was now breathing hard, glared at Harry. He quirked a grin.

"It's _Professor _Snape, 'Mione."

"ARG!" she shoved her body forward and they both landed on the couch. She laid half on top of him, her legs bent beneath her. She rested her head on his chest and he maintained his grip on her wrists just in case she went for him again.

"What happened?"

She said nothing.

"Is it school?"

"…"

"Nope, not school…okay, how about…uh," Harry sighed, "how about Ron?"

Hermione stiffened slightly.

"Okay, what did he do?"

"…"

"Did you guys get into a fight?"

Hermione nodded and Harry felt it against his chest.

"What did he say?"

"…"

"Did he yell at you?"

She nodded again.

Harry paused, contemplating his next question.

"Did he…did he hurt you 'Mione?"

She stiffened.

"He HIT you?" Harry sat up and released her hands, making Hermione raise her head and look at him. Harry searched her face, hoping, that his other friend hadn't gone that far.

Hermione raised her hand to her right cheek. "Slapped me. Called me common."

Harry's jaw tightened. He wrapped his arms around Hermione and laid back down on the couch. She tucked herself into his arms and laid her head back on his chest. She focused on his breathing. Up, down, up, down.

A few minutes passed in silence…

…then Harry started to hum.

"I've had the blues," He started in a low, off pitch voice, "the reds and the pinks…"

"…and I can say one thing for sure…"

Hermione smiled, sniffed, and then joined Harry in the last line; they sang loudly and off key.

"Love stinks! Yeah, yeah!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! Hope you liked the chapter and if you did tell me, in a review.<strong>

**Hope I made some people happy by having Harry be supportive and overall awesome**

**The lyrics used at the beginning were by a band call The Daylights and the song is called Weapons. **

**The song sung by Harry and Hermione was Love Sinks by The J. Geils Band (a classic)**

**Next Chapter: I will get to Ginny and Draco. Throw in some Ron punishment, Snape's overall reaction to Hermione, and some Ron and Hermione stuff**

**Till next time...**


	7. Chapter 7:Helping Hands

__**Hey, I'm sorry it took longer than normal to update**

**Hope you'll like the chapter**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

* * *

><p><em>When your sparkle evades your soul<em>

_I'll be at your side to console_

_When you're standing on the window ledge_

_I'll talk you back, back from the edge_

_I will turn; I will turn your tide_

_Do all that I can to heal you inside_

_I'll be the angel on your shoulder_

_My name is Geraldine; I'm your social worker_

* * *

><p>"So, you 'spilled your heart out to Snape', did you?"<p>

It was an hour after Hermione stopped attacking Harry and now they sat on the kitchen floor facing each other, both holding a cup of coffee in each hand. It was around midnight and the only light came from the fire place which was blocked by the kitchen island that Hermione was sitting against. Hermione cringed when Harry mentioned Snape and their little talk over biscuits. She really didn't mean to mention to any let alone Harry who probably hated Snape more than anyone on Earth.

"…yeah…"

Harry grinned. "Well, what happened?" He prompted with his hands in a "get-on-with-it" gesture. Hermione shrugged her shoulder, in what she hoped, was a careless gesture.

"Nothing really."

Harry didn't believe that for a second and it showed in his face. Hermione sighed.

"Okay, it wasn't that bad." Harry raised a single eyebrow. "Okay! It was awful. I mean, I told him everything. _Everything_. I cried, I yelled, and I even cussed; in front of a professor!" Hermione set down her cup and buried her head in her raised knees. She mumbled, "I'm never going to be able to face him again."

"What was his reaction though," Harry smiled into his cup. "I mean, I know he makes a lot of girls cry but I don't think he has ever tried to comfort them before…"

Hermione lifted her head and shrugged again. "I guess his reaction wasn't that bad. He didn't laugh in my face nor did he kick me out of the room. He just listened. He didn't say a word the entire time he just handed me napkins and biscuits."

Harry looked surprised. "I thought for sure he would have kicked you out or something inhuman and mean along that nature." Harry paused and then looked evenly at Hermione. "Why were you even with Snape in the first place?"

_Crap._ "Professor Snape, Harry."

"Uh, I'm thinking of focusing my career in potions and wanted his advice and maybe some extra work or books to study, things like that." Hermione waved her hand in front of her trying to play down her meeting with Snape.

"I thought you liked Transfiguration better than potions?"

Hermione smiled at Harry. _He knows me better than Ron does and his reaction he certainly better than Ron's…_ "Well, I like Trans as a class better than Potions, but I find that potions as a subject is more interesting than Trans."

Harry took a sip of his coffee and snorted. "Well, best of luck to you on that. I'm going the other route…"

Hermione titled her head questioningly.

Harry smirked. "You know. The route of defeating a dark lord getting all the fame and glory from that and then not needing to go to school to any job I wanted."

Hermione laughed.

* * *

><p>Ginny was confused.<p>

The confusion wasn't in an 'I can't figure out what flower to put in my cauldron to make it stop foaming', no it was an 'I wonder who gave me flowers' sort of confusion. Though no one had given Ginny flowers she was still confused the same as if someone did.

Draco confused Ginny.

She had spent hours after Draco had left her table in which he thanked her for the book, _thanked her_, and then walked back to the Dungeons, trying to figure out exactly what had transpired between them. Even though they didn't talk to each other, Ginny had watched him the entire time. At first it was a precautionary measure in order to check for any hexes being sent her way, but then she started watching him just to watch him.

He was a puzzle.

She watched the way his bleach blonde hair would fall in his eyes and every few minutes he would brush it back. Then she started to wonder when he stopped slicking his hair back, and then she thought how much better he looked now that he didn't have all that product in his hair. She also watched as his hands turned the pages of the book. She noticed his hands were more delicate than his and better maintained; probably through lots of hand lotion and the like.

She also watched him watching her and that's when she noticed his eyes.

It wasn't the color, though the ice blue was impressive, it was the look that the eyes held that caused her stop and look. On the surface they held confidence, but underneath there were a tumult of emotions. There was anger, at what, she didn't know; there was a deep sadness there to that caused her heart to contract a little, but there was one feeling that she saw that should far out from the rest.

Loneliness.

Ginny decided at that point that that was an emotion that could not be faked. So she endeavored to give Draco the benefit of the doubt, and maybe she could help make that lonely feeling recede.

"It seems we have the same taste in books."

Ginny looked up from the library table to see Draco standing there, leaning against a book shelf.

"So, it seems."

* * *

><p>Severus sat in an arm chair looking at the couch that Hermione had only a few seconds ago, occupied.<p>

He was still confused at why he even sat her down and listened to her instead of telling her 'to get over her annoying feelings and leave before she compromises the task'. Instead, he not only sat her down, but he gave her biscuits and tea and napkins. Not only that, but he listened to her, intently. And towards the end of the story he had this urge to leave the room, find Weasely, and curse him into oblivion, bring him back from oblivion, and then curse him again.

What really surprised Severus though is what he said to her when she made to leave.

'_You're anything but common?' Why the hell did I say that?_

At first he was going to say something because he felt it was proper because she just spent the last hour talking while he sat and listened. Then he thought, what he should say, should be something supportive, so she will recover faster and therefore be able to work on the potion (at least that was the excuse he gave to himself in his mind). Then the final thought that made him speak is that he didn't want her to leave, which was a ridiculous thought in itself but a panic set in when she made for the door with tears still in her eyes.

All these formed into the reason why he said that line.

Which is why Severus is still sitting in the arm chair, staring at where Hermione was sitting a few minutes ago, contemplating where his mind went and how to get it back.

* * *

><p>Two hours later…<p>

"Ah, mister Weasely," Professor Snape looked down at Ron as he stood in one of the many hallways of Hogwarts. Snape's tone of voice suggested that his happiness at seeing Ron was only to give him lasting harm. "Are you confused at what the curfew is?"

Ron looked down at the ground. "No."

"No, what?"

Ron glared at the ground. "No, _sir_."

Snape crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, then why are you out of the dorms then past the curfew you so obviously know about?"

Ron mumbled something.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Snape leaned forward slightly.

"I have no reason," Ron glared up at Snape, "sir."

Snape leaned back up right. "That will be 50 points from Gryffindor then and a weeks worth of detention with Filch."

Ron sputtered. "WHAT! WHY!"

"Tsk, yelling at a professor, Weasely?" Snape's smirk grew. "That will be another 40 points and since you asked, I gave those detentions because you couldn't even muster up the brain power in that small head of your to have an excuse to be out this late."

Snape took two steps towards Ron and got right in front of his face.

"And that is just laziness on your part and since you now wasted more of my time; that will be another week on detention with Filch."

Ron's face started to turn a shade of red.

_Is this what Hermione saw that night right before you hit her?_

"Leave now Weasely and you better hope I don't catch you in a dark hallway again."

Ron walked quickly away.

* * *

><p>Three days later….<p>

Hermione walked into her room and dropped her bag on the ground with a thump. She had just gotten done taking two hour test for Transfiguration and then had to suffer through two hours of potions where Snape seemed to be in the most vindictive of moods, though luckily, she managed to avoid his anger; others weren't so lucky. Then she had spent the rest of her time in the library beginning her bases for the potions she would need to be making.

It had been a long day.

She walked over with the intention of dropping ungracefully onto the inviting couch when she noticed something colorful out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head towards the kitchen and on the kitchen island sat a bouquet of red roses.

And next to the roses sat a card with a coffee cup next to it.

Hermione recognized the hand writing on the front of the card instantly.

* * *

><p><strong>Happy reading :-)<strong>

**The lyrics at the beginning were from a band called Glasvegas the song is Geraldin**

**Next Chapter: Ron speaks to Hermione, Hermione works with Snape, Harry speaks to Ginny, Harry speaks to Lupin (It's a lot of talking)**

**Review**


	8. Chapter 8: The Many Faces of

__**I'm back!**

**To all those that have reviewed: You guys are awesome and deserve hugs and kisses and really nice Christmas presents this year.**

**I have brought a most depressing chapter, but do not fear, the next chapter will be happier.**

**Disclaimer: Me no own**

**Happy reading!**

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><p><em>Don't you know I feel the darkness closing in?<em>

_I tried to be more than me _

_And I gave 'til it all went away_

_And we've only surrendered_

_To the worst part of these winters that we've made_

_But I would not sleep in this bed of lies_

_So toss me out and turn in_

_And there'll be no rest for these tired eyes_

_I'm marking it down to learning_

* * *

><p>Hermione stared at the flowers, card, and cup for a few minutes before actually walking over to the display.<p>

She had already recognized the hand writing because she had read so many essays written in the same hand while correcting the mistakes the night before the paper was due: it was Ron's hand writing.

She hesitated but decided to pick up the card and read it anyways:

_Hermione,_

_I'm sorry. I should have never said those mean things to you, but I'm under a lot of stress with grades (and the war) and you brought up a university and then I freaked because I don't think I can get into a university and then you would be getting ahead of me while I worked at some meaningless job. So, it was my fault, so don't blame yourself._

_Love, Ron_

Of course it was from Ron, they were red roses after all.

She set down the card and was about to pick up the flowers when a knock sounded at her door. She walked over to the door and opened it to reveal the man himself, Ron. He stood not so confident, with shoulders hunched, his shirt a little bit too baggy, and he shuffled his feet back and forth.

"Hey."

Hermione glanced at the ground. "Why don't you come in."

She stepped back and Ron walked three steps into the room, saw the flowers, then back to face Hermione and the same time the door shut. Silence pervaded the room as they both avoided making eye contact with the other. Hermione realized that the paint was fading on the far wall.

"Did you read the card?"

"Yeah."

Then Ron became to speak.

"I'm so sorry Hermione." He walked forward and pulled Hermione to his chest. "I can't believe that I said those things to you and that I…that I hit you." Ron drew in a breath. "I just…I was worried. Worried that I'd never be good enough and so I tried to bring you down and I'm stressing 'cause mom had been on my back about grades and now the whole war thing. I should have never attacked you like that."

Hermione stayed silent.

The only thing she could hear in her head was the word 'common' on repeat.

"Please, please know that I'm sorry," Ron realized that Hermione wasn't going to say anything back. So he pushed her back away from him so he could see the expression on her face; it was blank. He leaned down a little to be at her height and pleaded.

"Please forgive me Hermione."

Hermione finally looked at him right in the eyes.

"Please," Ron looked as if he was on the edge of tears. "I love you."

Hermione's heart stopped. _Love? Love me?_ Her brain went on overdrive. _He has never said that to me before. Where the hell did it even come from_? She looked at him as if trying to decipher if it was a joke or he only meant it in a loving brother way or an I-love-you-man way.

_Do I love him?_

He looked sincere and Hermione felt like running.

Hermione acted on the first thing that came to her mind which was to nod answering the question he had posed before but ignoring his statement. This seemed to be enough to appease him because his eyes lit up as soon as she nodded. He smiled wide.

"Great!" He hugged her again and then made to leave the room. "I'll talk to you then during breakfast tomorrow because its late already. We can meet up tomorrow and the first Hogsmeade trip will function as our next date." Ron took one step out of the door. "I love you Hermione." Then he left.

Hermione collapsed onto her knees in tears.

She hated red roses.

* * *

><p>Earlier that day…<p>

"Harry?"

Harry was in the hallway headed to the Great Hall to get some lunch when a voice called his name. He turned around and saw Professor Lupin, _Remus_, waving him down as he lightly jogged up to him. Remus stopped a few steps in front of Harry and smiled.

"How are you today Harry?"

Harry smiled politely. "I'm doing fine Pro—Remus. I just got down with my last class and was going to get some food before I bugged Hermione into helping me with my potions essay."

Remus shifted to his left foot. "Well I just wondered, since I have an hour break in between classes, if you wanted to see Snuffles or not because we won't be able to go this weekend like I planned; it's the first Hogsmeade trip."

"Yeah, we can go now," Harry didn't want to blow off Remus for a second time and he did really want to see Sirius.

* * *

><p>Severus' arm began to burn.<p>

He dropped the vial he was holding and it crashed to the ground in a quick death. The light blur liquid splattered on the ground and then instantly evaporated. Severus let out a string of curse words as he stepped over the broken glass and made his up the stairs out of his private lab to his actual rooms. He walked to his bedroom, which was located in the back of the room, and grabbed the cloak and the mask he had placed in the back of his wardrobe.

He walked briskly down the hallways of Hogwarts, reached the outside of the wards, cursed on more time, and disapperated into the night.

* * *

><p>Harry and Lupin flooed into St. Mungos.<p>

Remus landed lightly on his feet and took a step away from the fireplace right as Harry ungracefully fell out onto his face. Remus stifled a laugh and the nurse that was in the room chuckled. Harry picked himself off the ground and glared at Remus who was refusing to look at him.

"I am guessing you're here to see our special guest?" The women, who wore the outfit of a head nurse, asked the two men standing in front of her. They both nodded and she opened the door behind her and began leading them to one of the private rooms on the top floor in the very back of the hospital. Her name was Nurse Bell and she a good friend of Dumbledore which meant she allowed visitors to Sirius' room without the Ministry knowing since he was still a wanted criminal.

She reached the last door in the hall. The door had a large red sticker on it which indicated to the working staff that a known criminal inhabited the room. Nurse Bell opened the door and stepped to the side as the two men entered the room.

Harry looked down at Sirius who lay prone on the bed. He looked smaller the last time Harry had seen him. The Nurses try to keep his muscles active through spells, but the muscles still atrophy away after a certain period of time. Harry noted that his hair was cleaner though since the nurses washed it every day which was not what Sirius did while he was in prison.

Nurse Bell spoke up when she realized the men were only going to stand at stare. "His brain and magical patterns have increased to normal levels which means he should wake up any day now."

Remus spoke while still looking down at his friend. "So what is stopping him from waking up now?"

"That's a good question," Nurse Bell stepped into the room and shut the door. "It varies with the patient. Sometimes they wake up when the shouldn't, sometimes the wake up as soon as the levels in their body stabilize, and sometimes they don't wake up at even if all medical signs say they should."

Harry turned his head and looked at her. "So, you're saying that he could never wake up?"

"Yes though we don't know why," Nurse Bell paused. "There is this theory used by muggle doctors in which they attribute the healing rate of a patient based on the will of the patient; whether the patient wants to wake up or not."

Harry and Remus said nothing but they both grabbed one of Sirius' hands.

* * *

><p>"Welcome my followersssss," the Dark Lord smiled wickedly at the group of twenty or so Death Eaters that stood in a half circle around him. They all stood without their masks by order of the Dark Lord which he had been ordering more often for some reason. Severus guessed it was because the Dark Lord had trouble picking out his followers if all their faces were covered.<p>

"Brookssss won't you step forward," He pointed to a spot that was empty in front of him. The man named Brooks slowly stepped from the half circle and walked up to the Dark Lord. Severus could tell he was nervous by the way his legs slightly shook with each step.

"Yes Milord?" He bowed his head respectively toward the ground and kept it there.

There was no longer a smile on the Dark Lord's face. "Your tasssk I gave at the lasssst meeting, how is that going?"

Brooks shifted. "It is taking longer than I planned to retrieve the funds, Milord."

"So you lied to me then at the lassst meeting when you said you could get the fundsss," The Dark Lord leaned forward. "_easssily_."

"Milo—"

"Crucio."

The screams that followed were inhuman.

"Take him away Wormtail," Brooks' broken body was dragged towards where the dungeons were located and Severus watched him go. The Dark Lord leaned back into his chair and Nagini slithered faithfully onto his lap.

"Ssseverussss," The Dark Lord turned his head to the left side of the circle, close to his chair. Severus had expected this. "What is the newssss in Hogwartsss?"

"The old fool suspects that you will start your war soon and he is telling all those that will listen which is few and far between," some of the Death Eaters chuckled. The Dark Lord motioned him to continue. "The fool has one of Potter's friends working a potion with the aid of myself that would lessen the affects of dark magic."

The Dark Lord smirked. "With the aid of yourssself?"

"Yes, which is why the friend is having such a hard time with the potion," Severus smirked back at him. The Dark Lord laughed. "The potion might even end up having the opposite affects."

"You may step back now Severus," Severus bowed politely and then stepped back into the circle. His heart rate slowed down once he realized the half-truths were bought yet again by the Dark Lord. He thought the meeting would soon come to a close.

"I have the mossst excellent of newssss," the Dark Lord let Nagini slither away. "Tonight I have planned a raid for my mossst dedicated of followersss."

Severus sucked in a breath.

"Malfoy, Bellatrix, McNair, Parkinson, and Sseverusss."

Cheers resounded with the followers called.

* * *

><p>Hermione still sat on the ground in her room.<p>

Her tears had long since stopped, but the shame she felt was still just as strong. She tried to tell herself she was strong and brave, but when it came to actually acting on it, she faltered. She wanted, deeply, to tell Ron to bugger off and never touch her again, but she couldn't. She felt the need to give him another chance, because she had always had a friend in Ron. It was always her, Ron, and Harry.

Then he brought up love.

She knew she didn't love him. She couldn't even fool herself into believing that she did. She cared for him and would protect him, but she would never love him; not like he would want. Even before he had hit her, she had never had anything more than friendly feelings towards him. She felt compelled to try because she did not want to be the one that broke up the Golden Trio. She did not want to be the one the destroyed everything.

But above all, she wanted to love him.

She so desperately wanted to love him because she should. She should love him because he is her best friend. Every one expects her to date him, marry him, and have kids with him. She wanted it to be easy. She wanted to fall in love with the good man. She wanted to be content and in love with him, but she couldn't.

She had to try though and that's why she cried because she was too weak to give up the hope that something good could come out of their relationship and yet at the same time she hoped, she also knew that this was only going to end in pain.

She lifted her head up from her knees and caught a glimpse of the flowers that sat on the table above her.

* * *

><p>The house they were going to raid was quaint.<p>

It was a nondescript house. It stood peacefully in the middle of a dozen houses that looked exactly liked the one they were walking towards. It had light blue paint around the outside with white shutters and nicely trimmed grass. The house next to it could be mistaken for it expect for the light brown paint that coated it.

By the end of the night, the house would stand drastically out from the rest of the block.

Bellatrix began by breaking down the door. The once white door flew into the blackness of the house and crashed against a wall. The shuffling of feet could be heard as the family began to wake up. Severus walked in behind Bellatrix and sent his own curse which caused the glass to shatter impressively and Bellatrix began to dance manically under the shards that filled the air. Malfoy headed up the stair with McNair to bring down the family that was just now realizing what was happening.

There were screams as a husband, a wife, and a small boy was brought forcefully down the stairs. They were tossed onto the ground and then surrounded by the four Death Eaters that were there.

"Please, take whatever you want, just don't hurt us," He begged while trying to place himself in front of his wife and child. Bellatrix chuckled.

She sent a cutting hex and the man which signaled the start of the torture.

* * *

><p>Hermione stayed downstairs that night.<p>

She sat on the couch with a cup of coffee in hand with her feet curled up underneath her. She stared at the fireplace without moving. She had no intention of sleeping that night. She couldn't even bare to look at herself in the mirror let alone allowing herself the comfort of sleep. No, she deserved to be miserable and tried the next morning.

The roses no longer were on the island in the kitchen.

They now were forcefully shoved, in pieces, into the one trashcan in the room along with the card.

The coffee cup lay shattered on the floor, as if someone had thrown it against the cupboards.

* * *

><p>Severus walked slowly back to Hogwarts. His black clothes now stained with blood; the blood of a muggle family whose only crime was being unlucky. The quaint house was currently burning and now stood drastically out of the other houses on the block. Families gathered outside as they watched the flames consume the house. The sirens could be heard in the distance.<p>

The muggle families wondered about the odd formation of clouds in the sky that looked almost like a snake.

Severus did not stay to see this though.

He reached his rooms and immediately sat down on his couch. He lit the fireplace with a wave of his hand and conjured up a cup of coffee.

He would not sleep that night not would he change his clothes; the clothes reminded him of what he did. He did not deserve a shower to wash away the crime he committed that night.

He deserved to watch the death of that family replay in his mind.

He did not deserve the comfort of sleep.

He deserved to be miserable.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed.<strong>

**Next Chapter: A lot of Snape and Hermione and I'm not sure about the rest yet :-)**

**The lyrics used in the intro were by a band called Matchbox Twenty and the song was Bed of Lies**

**REVIEW!**


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